TOPIC: I'm about to re-open

I'm a GM for Hollywood theaters. I have been in the business for around 10 years. Last year my theater was devasted by hurricane Rita. So I move to Covington,LA and opened a new 14 screen there. It is a gold mine with high per caps. I have recently move back to beaumont and we are finally reopening my theater. We are near finishing the remodel. I'm doing all of my re-hires and new hires now. What I'm posting this message for is everyones input on the bad Saturday night crowds. In Covington, La the population was majority white and the Saturday night were a dream. My theater in Beaumont is next to a mall, not ajoining but about 100 yard away, and the city is majority black. The Saturday nights can be a nightmare. I use 4-5 city police officers on Saturday night. At 9 PM I use my Stanchions to barricade the front entrance so that only paying customers can come through the front doors. We only open 1 set of doors with an usher standing there to ask for tickets. Then once in the build we use another usher to tear tickets and direct to auditoriums. My ploice officers stand on my porch and direct the non paying customers or riff-raff away from my location. This was a good approach, but I'm looking for something better. Any suggestions?

Hire out some security. In my experience with running events and such I always hire security besides just police officers. This way you keep costs down. Pay the security just below any assistants that you have. Train them in other areas such as projection so they can do other tasks.

You may also try the "You must pay to reenter" tactic for late saturday showings. I dont need to tell you that you wont be able to change the area, or the people.

Thank You, any suggestion is always valued. Well for me hiring a company for security has been an option and so has an in-house security personal. My company, though, steers away from in house security because of the liabilty to the company. City, county, or state officers always have total liabilty for their actions. Most security companies do as well, but if I hire an in-house security officer then we eat the suit.

it's tough/ depending on the neighborhood/ I used to go a theatre in Chicago that was in a black area/ I don't think it is a secret that there is a very different attitude toward the movie going experience: talking both to friends, the film, and anyone who gives a shhhhhh is part of the deal. And cell phones? Fugggetttabouddit! This is all the standard fodder of white and black comedians so I don't think I'm out on a limb noticing it. If it's a big enough problem incrementally raise ticket prices to lose the worst bottom feeders, have serius security at the door and in the lobby, and hire some big tough looking people who look like your customers. Best of luck. My biggest problems are mouthy 12 year olds.
Michael Hurley
Impresario

Thank You for your input. This is a very tough and sometimes touchy subject. Price gauging is one thing we will be doing, but that won't stop the kids from coming. 1 thing I have suggested to my company is 17 & up on after 7:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. They will need a state ID and/or parent present if under the age of 17 to be on my property, not just buying a ticket will work.
This will elimanate kids on those nights, plus grown-ups or familys can feel more relaxed about the atmostsphere surrounding them. Family crowds also are great for per caps, not pesty kids that buy a ticket and no concession.

I had the same questions about a year ago. But mine was with just noisy teenagers. A security guard, ejection and a town meeting curbed the problem.
Your taking the rite course of action, shame that we have to go though this because of lack of parental care at home an in society generally!